Growing Up
by Melody Bellerose
Summary: **Revised version of the original Ghost Hunt fanfic 'Growing Up'. I strongly suggest reading from Chapter One.** Mai is all grown up, so is Naru. What happens when Mai must travel to England to save him? However, the only way to save him is to kiss him..!
1. Chapter One

I'd like to say a lot of things.

I really want to say something cool like I moved on and he became a thing of my past. I wish I could say that I moved on and found someone better, cooler, hotter. I really wish I could say he was nothing but my first crush and a fond memory.

But that's not true, and I try to stay away from lying to myself.

I didn't forget about him. I didn't move on in my dating life. I mean, sure, I went out with a few guys but I didn't fall in love again. Everything he ever made me feel and everything he ever taught me was what kept me behind. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't seem to get away from the paranormal, which means I couldn't get away from him.

All of my friends had different advice. Some of them told me to just move on because he was just some guy that was my friend love. Some other friends told me that I was confusion admiration for infatuation. They were probably both right in their own way, but that didn't stop my heart from beating faster every time I passed by the old school house.

It wasn't as if I completely stopped living to cry over the fact that I was blatantly rejected. I went and got another job, which was relatively easy. He left me an employee review so good that managers were basically begging me to go and work for them. I noticed immediately that I should have taken Monk up on his offer to move in with him and finish school.

Waitressing became the one steady thing in my life. However, it's not like Ayako and Monk and John and Yasu and Masako just up and stopped talking to me because he was gone.

Masako was normally always busy with her TV show but she still came by my cramped apartment one a month for tea and a conversation. Despite all of Masako's face value faults, she's still a good person on the inside. She never once complained about how small my apartment was or how cheap the tea was.

John was much of the same thing. He'd finally been established at a church in Japan and invited me over quite a lot. The church was right next to an orphanage so their was always someone to play with.

Ayako and Monk got married about three months in to their relationship. I was a bridesmaid. Ayako phoned me weekly to badger me about moving in to their new home, no matter how much I refused. Monk texted me all the time and often talked with me when Ayako called. He wasn't nearly as forceful but he still popped the question once in a while.

Yasu, however, became my rock. He moved in to a huge apartment and some how convinced me to move in with him while barely paying for a whole quarter of the bills. He became the definition of 'brother' to me. Over the course of a year, he became the driving force behind me somehow working 60 hours a week while also going to school four days our of a seven day period. He's the one that forced me to finish high school and college.

It wasn't until my junior year in college that my world crashed around me.

I was flirting with a group of middle aged men at a table when a flash of familiar pink hair caught my sight and I stopped in the middle of a sentence.

"Miss?" One of the men call, confused.

I smile at him, sending a cute wink his way, "I'll be right back handsome."

As I walk closer to the table, I see that it's Madoka and some gorgeous dark haired, blue eyed lady. Stunning, ice blue eyes. A set of dark eyes holding an understanding of a world I'm nearly ignorant to flashes in my head and it makes my breath catch in my throat.

 _No no no._ I think to myself. Straightening my spine, I quickly slide in to the booth next to Madoka amd muter, "I've got about five minutes before my boss comes looking for me."

Madoka squeals and hugs me from the side, "This is Mai Taniyama."

The woman smiles beautifully, "It is very nice to meet you, Miss Taniyama.

"Same to you." I grin back. I take a look around to be sure I'm not being stared at before continuing, "I don't mean to be rude but I really need this job, Madoka. What is this about?"

She loses her smile and clears her throat, "Mai, we need you to come to England with us."

My eyebrows shoot up in to my hair line, "That's ridiculous-"

"It's about Oliver."

My heart speeds up while my heats. A healthy blush spreads across my face and my jaw hangs down in shock.

 _What?_

"Wh-who are you?" My mouth just won't seem to do what I want it to do and I end up stuttering.

"My name is Luella Davis," she says, her eyes sparking with mischief, "I'm Oliver's mother."

I stare at her for the longest time until one of my coworkers come and tell me that the boss is on a rampage. I sigh, standing, taking out my notepad and jotting down my address with a shaky hand, "If it's this important that you have to come all the way to Japan to see me about it, then I might as well listen to what you have to say. Be at this address tomorrow at 6 PM." I smile at Mrs. Davis, "It was nice to meet you, ma'am. Goodbye Madoka." With that, I walk away and continue my shift.

"Okay, what is wrong with you?" Yasu questions me as I eat dinner that night. He gives me what I call the 'brother' look. It is a look that consists of a half glare, half concerned type of stare. Like he's worried about me but he's also gonna get information out of me. Which he normally does so I don't even try to hide anything from him.

"Madoka came and visited me at the bar today."

Yasu raises a suspicious eyebrow and leans back in hi chair. If he still wore his glasses, they'd be reflecting back at me, but he switched over to contacts after on of his friends told him he'd never get laid with four eyes.

"What would Madoka be doing in a sports bar?" Yasu asks as he folds his arms across his chest.

My shoulders shrug, "She wanted to talk to me about Naru."

 _Of course my voice cracks on his name!_

Yasu's eyes widen and before I know it, he's leaning toward me with warm, gentle brown eyes, "What happened?" Before I know it, everything is spilling out of me. I tell him everything from when I sat down to when I left their table.

"Why can't they just leave you alone?" Yasu growls deep in his throat.

Sighing, I lean against my balled up fist, "I asked myself the same thing as I walked away." A tear makes its way down my face as I relive the hurt I'd received from him once again, "But I also asked myself why I can't let him go."

Yasu rubs a hand through his messy dark brown hair, "Alright, here's what we'll do. We'll invite them in and I'll stay while you three talk for moral support. But Mai, don't let yourself be sucked in to all of this too quickly. If you choose to go to England and help out the big boss, then I'm right their besides you. But don't feel as if you owe him anything, because you don't. If you accept whatever deal they want to make or anything else, do it because you want to deep down in your heart. Not because they guilt trip you in to it. I don't care about anyone else in this situation beside you, okay?" At my nod, he sighs, "Good. Now finish eating and lets go cuddle on the couch. A Naruto marathon is on."

I roll my eyes and stand, making my way to the sink.

Madoka and Mrs. Davis arrived at exactly eight, which was no surprise to me or Yasu. He opens the door, greeting them with a smile, "Madoka!"

I can practically hear Madoka's look of happiness from the kitchen where I'm studying, "Yasu? What are you doing here?"\

"Oh, Mai and I live together! Come on in!"

Same old Yasu. Abrupt as always.

It's not long before Yasu is swaggering his way in to the kitchen with Mrs. Davis and Madoka not far behind. They both smile when they see all of my text books open and strategically placed. When I notice them, I sweep them up in to my school bag to make room for tea and I immediately get up to make when they sit down. Yasu makes small talk with Madoka as I prepare tea and when it's finally done and I sit down, I take a sip, exhale and then say, "So what is this about?"

Madoka giggles, "As straight forward as ever, huh Mai?"

A reluctant smile crosses my face, "I suppose." I hide my smile behind my tea cup.

Madoka sighs, leaning forward, "Mai, you know about Noll's PK?"

My eyebrows shoot up, "What does Naru's PK have to do with you two coming to Japan and me going to England?"

"Noll's PK has been getting stronger since we left. What all of SPR doesn't know is that Noll's PK is one of the strongest in the entire world. He refuses to try using _any_ of it because of one time Gene convinced him to use it how he liked and be accidentally out Gene and himself in the hospital."

"Okay, what does any of that have to do with me?" By now, I've completely forgotten about Yasu.

"Mai, besides Gene, you're the only one to be with in a hundred mile radius of Noll's PK blast and survive." Madoka says this gently, "That might entail that you have a tolerance toward PK like Gene did. You might be able to help Noll process his PK and help him with it like Gene had their entire live-"

"Okay, hold on a second." I say, cutting her off. I fixate her with a glare that I knew even Naru himself would be proud of, "You want me to go all the way to England to help that jerk because his powers are slowly killing him and I'm the only person beside Gene that can do it, right?"

Mrs. Davis looks alarmed, like she's sure that I won't agree but Madoka glares back at me, "Yes."

"So basically, you want me to be a fill in for Gene?"

Madoka nods firmly, "Yes."

I look over at Yasu, who has been watching me with an aloof face He raises an eyebrow when I look at him and a smile tugs at him lips. I sigh because he knows as well as I do that I can't say no. Looking back at the women, I sigh once more, "You know that I can't say no, Madoka."

She grins, "I know. As angry as you are at him, you can't let him die. I knew you haven't given up on him yet."

A gentle smile crosses my face, "It's kind of hard to give up on Naru, Madoka. There's just something about him that makes you want to fight for him."

Mrs. Davis leans forward, curious blue eyes peering at my face and making me nervous, "Just who are you to my son?"

My eyebrows shoot up, "What do you mean, Mrs. Davis?"

"I only told her that you where there during his PK blast. She knows that you used to be his assistant but there isn't much past that that she knows. I wasn't sure what else you wanted to tell her."

I feel a bitter smile tug at my face, "It's not as if it's a secret, Madoka."

"What isn't a secret?" Mrs. Davis' curious blue eyes are still planted on my face.

I smile at her as intelligent dark blue eyes flash in my mind, "I'm the woman in love with your son, Mrs. Davis."

Later that night, Yasu and I are sitting on our couch, watching Naruto again when he suddenly mutes the TV and turns to me, "Mai, do you know if the big boss has any other brothers?"

My laugh sputters out of me, "Wh-what?" I hold my sides when I say this because I'm laughing so hard.

He grins, and it's then that I realize he was trying to cut in to the tension that's been surrounding me since the women left. He chuckles, "I mean, come on. The attention of the Davis men doesn't always have to be on you. They are too good looking to be wasted on someone as spaced out as you."

He laughs harder when I hit him with the couch pillow. The sad thing is, he wasn't even kidding.

Yasu came out as a homosexual not long after he graduated high school. Here in Japan, where 90% of the country is homophobic, it was considered a very 'strong' thing to do. His mother went insane when he told her and disowned him, saying something along the lines of no son of hers was going to be a sinful faggot. His dad, however, didn't care either way. Apparently Yasu's great uncle is gay so his dad didn't find it was horrible as his mother did. All his dad cared about was that Yasu went to college and made a life for himself, gay or not. He even got Yasu one of these fancy apartments.

When Yasu's dad found out about me moving in with him, he showed up to meet me. Mr. Osamu is nearly exactly like Yasu so we got along well. I could see when Yasu got his sense of humor from. Mrs. Osamu, Yasu's step mother, was also really awesome. She comes and brings me clothes from time to time. Just some things that she finds in stores that she picks up because she thinks of me. I've told her a million times that she doesn't need to but she does anyway.

I smile at Yasu, wrapping my arms around his torso, "I love you, Yasu. Thank you for being here."

His chuckle is quiet when he hugs me back, "I love you too, girl. And of course I'm here. Where else would I be?"

As always, Yasu has my back with everything. He kisses my forehead and I begin to dose where I am.

I stare at myself in the mirror. I was prepping myself for the fourteen hour flight from Japan to England. Madoka and Mrs. Davis had came and went three weeks ago. I turned in my two week notice at my job two days after they'd come to my apartment. I'd even planned with my professors to take time off of school. At least a months worth of work was given to me by all of them.

"Mai?" Yasu calls from the other side of the bathroom door, "We're going to be late, girl! Lets go!" He swings open the bathroom door, a disinterested look being cast over my primarily naked body. He laughs when he sees that I've been attempting to choose between two outfits.

"It's not funny, you idiot!" My hair brush goes flying.

He laughs, dodging it easily, "No, you're right. It's adorable. Come on. Lets go." He grabs my hand and tugs me out of the bathroom while shoving one of the outfits in my hand.

"Mai?" His voice wakes me up. My eyes open to see dark hair and even darker eyes staring in to mine. When he sees that I'm awake, he smiles, "Come. We're at the airport."

I'm drowsy and all I could process was that it was time to get on the plane, where I will be able to sleep more, so I stand, get my thing out of the taxi, in to the airport, check it in, pass security and sit down in my correct seat.

"Hey Mai?" Yasu calls my name as I dose.

"Hn?"

"Promsie me something?"

"What's that?"

"Don't completely fall for him all over again the minute you see him." I look over to see him staring at me intently. He's serious. "I can't bare to see you like that again. If you fall in love with him again, make him work for it. Otherwise, he doesn't deserve you or your love."

I sigh, "I don't think I ever fell out of love with him, Yasu."

"I know. I mean you confession," He grins, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, "Promise me?"

"I promise."

"Good. Now lets work on you keeping that."

I finally fall asleep to his giggling."

These chain of events led me here. Standing in front of the Davis household next to Yasu. I originally thought that I would completely freak out the minute I arrived, but Yasu is right here with me. He's my rock. I can do this.

I look over at my best friend, who is staring up at the huge mansion with gleaming eyes. He looks down at me and smiles mischievously, "Ready, girl?"

I suck in a breath of anticipation and press the white button next to the door. The door swings open a moment later to a grinning Mrs. Davis, "Mai-chan!"

Whatever murmuring of voice I'd heard in the back ground stops and the scrapping of a chair seems to echo in my head. A door swings open and out comes a much older looking Naru. His eyes seem ten times more intense than the last time I'd seen him, and it seems he hasn't been expecting me. His eyes widen and his mouth parts slowly. When he speaks, his voice is deep and masculine, "Mai?"


	2. Chapter Two

I've never been very good at casual conversation, but with the right people, the task doesn't prove too difficult. Like with Gene, for example. My brother and I could talk for hours; Gene knew what to say and how to say it. However, Gene never talked as much as _she_ did.

She seemed to _always_ have something to say. Whether it was to yell at me or ask me a stupid question or state the obvious which was also stupid that I was forced to bully her for the sake of my sanity. She was so easy to bully. Her reactions were amusing and passed the time. Also her being angry made her quiet, which gave me a few moments of peace and quiet.

I supposed I can say that it wasn't a huge surprise when she confessed. She'd always looked at me a certain way and then she began to get the dreamy look in her eye that most when get when they begin to 'fall in love' with me. More like a brief infatuation with my outer appearance. I realized she'd been seeing Gene in her dreams and I just knew tat she was in love with Gene.

I wasn't prepared for the look of utter sorrow to cross her face when I told her that she was in love with Gene. I figured she'd be happy to know that the man she loved was kind, caring and yet she looked at me as if I'd taken her heart and spat on it.

It is not as if I'm completely immune to my own emotions. Mai was always cute. She was a pretty girl, with a humble attitude. However, I viewed her more as a 'little sister' than the type of woman I could fall in love with. I would never tell anyone else that I found her cute but I did.

Leaving was harder than I thought it would be. I'd grown accustomed to scolding the irregular members of SPR for being too noisy in my office. I'd grown to tolerate all of their personalities and even like them, sometimes. I'd grown accustomed to having her close where I could keep an eye on her to be positive that she she wasn't being an idiot and getting in to trouble, as per normal. Lin and Madoka seemed to miss her the most as well, even though I know they missed them all. What was it about her that made it so difficult for people to leave her? I wasn't sure I'd ever find out.

Getting Gene's body to England and having a formal burial was what should have brought my mind to peace but it didn't. I soon realized my PK was out of control and I had no way of reigning it in. I was waking up nearly every day with things floating around my room and I began to cough up my own blood.

I, much like my father, am always prepared for whatever scheme my mother cooks up. She's very good at surprising us, and she had done it yet again.

Visiting my parents' after work had become a daily routine for me. It kept my mother off my fathers' back and kept me sane so I would be free of phone calls from her all night.

My mother makes excellent tea. She always had for as long as I could remember. So I wasn't surprised when she set down tea of my own and then for my father. She seemed to be continuously glancing at the door, as if expecting company. My father noticed it too because he continually shot her bewildered looks for her strange behavior.

The door bell rings and my mother is gone in the blink of an eye. The conversation between my father and I immediately switches to her odd behavior until I'm cut off by my mothers' voice, "Mai-san."

Before I even realize it, I'm standing so quickly that my chair scrapes against the floor and I'm to the front door in few strides. I realize vaguely that my father is right behind me.

Mai stands there in the doorway. Her eyes hold more wisdom, more intelligence than they had before. Her face doesn't hold a smile, which is the biggest change of all.

The sight of her astonishes me. It's Mai… but then again, it isn't.

"Mai?"

When she speaks, her voice is deeper than I remember, "Naru." Her lips twitch and I see that sunny smile wanting to pull through, but she doesn't allow it.

 _Why?_

I hadn't heard the name _'Naru'_ since I left Japan. It was like a memory from the past coming to torment me. However, unlike my other memories, this one brought warmth.

She seemed to be on guard, as if waiting for me to be hateful toward her. I was never hateful toward her. A little rude and sometimes mean, but never hateful.

Instead of trying to figure her out, I raise an eyebrow at her, "What are you doing here?" I was completely aware of my father staring at the both of us from behind me, but it didn't even occur to me to speak in English.

Speaking in Japanese with Mai was about as instinctual and comfortable as speaking with Gene used to be.

"Your mother invited me." Her eyes sparkle with hidden mischief.

"Hey big boss!" A voice says. I see Yasuhara Osamu glide in right behind Mai. He turned out to be a handsome man. Not as handsome as me, but still.

"And you're here-?"

"We're a package deal." Mai says, placing herself in front of him as if to protect him. Stubbornly fierce eyes stare back at me, "You want me? You get him. Bottom line."

 _Ah. A look I recognize._

 _Wait a second._ Yasu and Mai? Mai and Yasu? As in, _dating?_

The thought sends an unfamiliar pang through my body. I don't dwell on it, instead moving to look at my mother, who smiles and says, "I have a plan."

" **Oh no.** " My father groans in English, **"I know that smile."**

A painfully familiar giggles makes my head turn. Mai's hand is over her mouth but I can see her raised cheeks, as if she was hiding her laughter. My mother smiles at her, before turning to my father and I, **"Everyone in the kitchen. Madoka will be here in a few moments to help me explain."** She'd spoken in English, but Mai and Yasuhara begin moving towards our kitchen as if they'd understood her.

With a inquiring look from my father that I ignore, I move toward the kitchen.

The two women hold conversation about meaningless things while they prepare tea. Eventually they begin to converse about tea while the three of us sit at the table, staring at them.

" **It smells wonderful in here!"** Madoka glides in with Lin not far behind her. She squeals when she sees Mai, "I was wondering when you guys were finally going to get here!" She'd spoken in Japanese that time. She smiles at the rest of us, "Now, let me explain what is going on."

" **Absolutely not."** I growl in English, trying my best not to throttle my mother and the pink haired woman in front of me.

" **Oliver, dear,"** my mother smiles the smile that used to be able to make Gene do anything she asked, **"Think about this. Mai-san could really help you with your-"**

" **I said no."** I bite out between clenched teeth. There is no way I'm subjecting someone as small as Mai to that. She's too young and way too innocent. Even if it would work, she'd have to live with me in her head all the time, and I don't want to deal with the thoughts of a woman enraptured.

" **Noll,"** Madoka snaps, **"Don't be stubborn."**

I toss a glare her way, **"You're the one who thought this was idiotic plan up aren't you?"**

My father chimes up, **"Actually, Oliver, it isn't that idiotic. It makes sense. I think I she can help you balance out your power, then it's worth a shot."**

I shoot him my frostiest glare, **"No."**

" **Good thing you don't get a say so, huh, Naru?"** Mai's tone chimes around me like strings on a harp. But not in Japanese. She'd spoken in English. It wasn't perfect, but it was still astonishing. I remember when she was in the old SPR office hading the upmost difficult troublw saying 'water,' and now she's speaking English, albeit with an accent.

Despite how amazing I think it truly is for her to come this far in her studies, I can't let her convince me to do this to her.

" **Don't be an idiot. My PK could kill you-"** I'm cut off as chest heaving coughs wrack my body. My mother shrieks my name, running to my side as I attempt to stop. I cover my mouth and I vaguely notice my mother's hands disappear to be replaced by a set of much smaller, more delicate hands.

Something bubbles up my throat and in my mouth. Copper fills my mouth and I spit the blood out in to the cup my mother places in front of me. A hand rubs my back as I continue to cough up my own blood.

Eventually it's over and I look up. Yasuhara is standing next to my father with an aloof expression on his face. He's looking to the side of me. Turning my head, Mai is staring at me with a stubborn expression, one that I know very well. She glares at me, **"We are doing this, Naru. Whether you like it or not. I won't let you kill yourself because of your selflessness."**

My chest tightens. How does she know my reasoning for not wanting to do this?

She turns on her heel and stomps out of the room.

A chuckle makes me turn and I see Yasuhara grinning at me, **"Well, you aren't getting rid of her now. You know how stubborn she is. Might as well get used to it."** With a wink (after his oddly unaccented words), he stands up and calls in Japanese, "Hey, girl! You better wait up!" With a polite thank you to both of my parents, he runs after her.

I look up at my parents, who are stunned in silence. Sighing, I pull my handkerchief from my pocket and wipe the left over blood from my mouth. My father looks at me and smiles, **"I've decided that I like her."** My mother nods rapidly in agreement. With a silent groan, I move toward the bathroom to wash my face. If both of my parents like Mai, then there is no way I'm getting out of this.

Later that afternoon, my father catches me before I leave for my apartment. He puts his hand on my shoulder to stop me and I turn to see him looking at me with an unreadable expression, "Oliver, try to deal with this for now. Your mother is really just worried about you." I didn't miss the underlying message that he was too, which is why he didn't put a stop to this the minute he realized what mother was doing.

"She had no right to bring that girl here." The words surge forward on their own but I don't stop them.

My father raises an eyebrow, "Who is that girl, anyway?"

"Her name is Mai Taniyama. She's my former assistant and she's in love with Gene." Both of his eyebrows shoot up now, "She can speak to Gene through her sleep. They have a psychic connection that links their two powers together." I notice after I said all of that that I've been scowling.

"So there is a way for Miss Mai to contact your brother and draw on his powers."

I understand immediately where he's going with this, "Father, even if she is able to, there is still no guarantee that she will survive. I could fry her from the inside out."

"You could, but you won't." He fixes me with a leveled look that I've seen for the majority of my life. It means he is about to tell me something I won't like. "You care for this girl, Oliver. Maybe not the way Lin cares for Madoka or the way I care for your mother, but you do care about her. Maybe even a little bit more than you're comfortable with, but that is irrelevant. When you shoot your PK at her, you will hold back, even if we tell you not to."

This is my father. A man who is ten times more perceptive than anyone gives him credit for. The same man who taught Madoka and Lin everything they know. He is someone I respect above all others, thought a big part of that is that he is one of the only people to never lie to me, no matter how hurtful the truth is.

I scratch my jaw, feeling the prickling of hair growing there, and look up at my father, "It's difficult not to care about that idiot on some level. You will understand what I mean soon enough." I turn away, "Good night, Father."

He doesn't say anything else as I leave.

The next day, I'm at the testing lab that mother texted me and told me to be at. I arrive before everyone else. I'm typically early, for everything, even when Mai and I were coworkers. However, that is not the point. Mai is always late. Always. There is no exception. No matter how much she matures or how much older she gets.

At least that is what I thought.

"I'm surprised you're actually here, Naru." Her voice invades the intense reading I'd ben doing and I look up to see her standing in the door way of the lab. I'm seated across the room at a desk. Both of her eyebrows raise, "I'd gotten the sense that you wanted nothing to do with this plan."

"I don't." I say in a murmur, quietly assessing her appearance and simultaneously closing my book, setting aside.

Her hair got longer.

It falls down her back like a shiny roasted brown waterfall, ending at her mid drift. Her eyelashes and eyebrows seem thicker than I remember. Her nose is still slightly pointy; her cheek bones are still high; her lips are still pale; her skin is still tan; her legs are still long, but Mai herself still is short. She's always been so much shorter than the rest of us, but it has never seemed to bother her. Even now as the white sneakers sit on her feet and not heels, it seemed to completely skip her mind.

"Why, though? If it does fail, you'll be dead. Don't you want to life, Naru?" She tilts her head to the side, blinking her large eyes, looking more like a curious puppy than a human woman in that moment.

I'm quiet, staring up at the face that I've known since I was seventeen. Even if I haven't been in to contact with her, it doesn't seem like she has changed much. She is still clearly angry at me (probably) for my abrupt leaving) but she still cares about me.

It's an oddly warm feeling.

The same feeling I used to get when Gene was give me a present for our birthday, or when my mother would do my tie for my school uniform because I've never been able to do it, or when my father would tell me he was proud of me. I recognized this feeling.

Family.

For some odd reason, Mai feels like family. The same way Lin and Madoka feel like family. I suppose it is just because she knows that much about me and I'd grown truly comfortable with her.

When I left Japan, it felt as if I was leaving a family member behind. More than a family member really. I can understand my own feelings, at least to some degree. I know enough about myself that I recognize that I thought of the Japanese SPR as a second family, at least to some degree. I wasn't as close to them as I am with my parents or as I was to Gene, but it was nice to have people around me that I didn't have to act like a different person; even if I had used an alias.

"Naru," Mai's strangled voice snaps me out of my reverie. My eyes focus on her face once again, which has gone pale and ashen. Her eyes are wide, "You want to die?"

I immediately realize that she took my silence as an admission and I roll my eyes, snapping in an unintentionally irritated voice, "No, Mai. I do not wish to die."

She looks at me with prominent relief washing over her features, "Oh thank God."

I raise an eyebrow, "Mai, you do realize that this plan that you three have conjured up can kill you, correct?"

She smiles. It makes the room light up from the innocence and complete trust shining out of it. She giggles quietly, "If you really believed that, you wouldn't be doing this, no matter who forced you."

She is right and she knows it too. I wouldn't let my power hurt her. Even when she'd just started working for me, I had this uncontrollable unnecessary urge to be completely positive that the stupid, childish teenager didn't kill herself.

I raise an eyebrow at her, "You're bolder than you used to be."

Her cheeks color and she ducks her head, "Blame Yasu."

That is when I remember, "Where is he?"

"Back at our hotel," she pulls out a paper from her jean pocket, walking across the room to me, "He was asleep when I woke up so I figured I'd follow the directions that Mrs. Davis gave me." She hands me the paper.

"You can read English?"

"For the most part." She says, moving closer and finding a seat close by me, but not so close as to make me uncomfortable. She'd always done this. Somehow got close to me physically, but didn't make my internal alarms go off. Gene did the same thing, but I'd assumed it was because he knew about my inner qualms I have about people touching me or getting too close.

"Who taught you?" I cross my legs and place my chin on top of my fist, genuinely interested in who had a hand in making her bilingual.

"Yasu." Mai says, smiling again, but not at me. I suppose it is a memory that makes her smile, "His dad is the CEO of some huge national company, so he's apparently been all over the place and knows a whole boat load of languages. On top of that, he's studying to become a history teacher, and to do that, he needs English as a minor. He's fluent in it anyway but it a technicality. He would teach me whenever I had a day off of work. It was hard at first, and I still have a few issues now and then, but the hardest parts were over when I got the hang of L's and R's."

"Are you in college as well?" I won't be surprised if she was. As much as I insult Mai's intelligence, she was a fast learner and I'm sure she still is.

"Yes." Mai says, looking at me with large brown eyes, "I'm majoring in linguistics and a minor business."

"Linguistics and business." I say, silently impressed, "So you do have a brain."

"Naru!" She barks with a glare and a blush.

"Well well well." A voice says, making both of us look at the door, "Not much changes, huh?" Yasuhara and my parents both stand there with Lin and Madoka not far behind them.

My mother is staring at us in open wonder, while my father watches us with a closed off expression that I can't read. I forget that they've never seen me have a civil conversation with anyone outside of my immediate circle of friends. The general populations of humans that attempt to flock me are all idiots. Especially the women. Madoka grins at us, skipping in to the room, **"Alright! Let's get this show on the road people!"**

I look over at Mai and with a sigh, stand. Holding out my hand to her, I wait silently while she realizes it is for her and watch her smile, before grabbing it and standing.


	3. Chapter Three

Naru seems different somehow. Maybe it is knowing that he could possibly die or maybe it is because he finally put Gene to rest, but he seems more… tame. Like a lion that has had its claws cut. It is like he has already given up on life.

I look over to see Naru standing next to his father and Lin. The three men are playing with the computers and other complex equipment while Madoka, with the help of inexperienced Yasu, set me up on the equipment that I'll need. According to Professor Davis, the equipment will read the energy that Naru sends out and will continue to read it as my body either accepts or rejects it. This entire thing can go one of two ways and no one is really sure which way it will go.

Naru seems to think it will go badly. He expressed his worries subtly but they rung loud and clear as if he had yelled them at me. I would not be surprised if he stopped the entire thing before it even starts. I know that Naru isn't a horrible person but I am surprised that he would be this worried about me. I meant what I'd said though; if he truly believed I would die, then he wouldn't be doing this at all.

Professor Davis turns to us as Madoka applies the last of the suction heads to my temple. I have to have at least thirty wires hooked up to me all over my body.

Professor Davis checks them all over before nodding, **"Alright. We are ready to start."**

Naru is suddenly in front of me, "If you feel anything weird, like your brain feeling too big for your head or if you feel as if your eyes are going to burst, tell us immediately, That is signs that your body is rejecting the PK." He'd spoken in Japanese. I guess to be sure that I understood exactly what he had said.

Professor Davis shoos his son in to the chair across from me, **"Alright. Ready Oliver?"** At Naru's nod, he turns to me, **"Mai?"** I nod seriously, looking in to Naru's dark blue eyes as he watches me from his chair across the room.

There hadn't been any preparation for this because no matter how well trained my body is or how well developed my mind is, it all comes down to what my body decides.

" **Begin."** Professor Davis says in a deep voice. All of the equipment around us buzzes alive and the suction heads on my body grow warm.

Everything is completely silent for a moment, save for the buzzing of the machines around us, and then Naru lifts his hand. I see his skin actually glow white for a moment before it feels as if my body suddenly shoots up in temperature before my body jerks backwards on its own. My chair goes flying out from underneath me and I'm forced to steady myself by standing up completely. I look up at everyone, who stares at me.

Something inside of me feels as if it opens. Like the popping of a lid from a jar. An oddly familiar voice calls my name, but its very faint. It asks for permission to enter, my instincts scream for me to allow it, so I do.

" **Oliver,"** Professor Davis calls to his son, **"Do that again, except with more power behind it. Something is happening to her."**

Naru does it again and a deep laugh that is definitely not mine leaves me, **"You have to actually try for this to work, idiot scientist."**

The room goes quiet. Professor Davis looks over sharply, as does everyone else in room.

" **Oh my God."** Mrs. Davis shrieks, leaving her spot from the desk by the door. She runs to me but Professor Davis stops her, **"Gene?"**

My head turns on it's own and I smile at her, but it is not my smile. It is the smile of Eugene Davis. My head turns back to Naru, **"Come on, little brother. Do it how we used to. You can do it. I know you haven't forgotten."**

Naru glares at me, the sight frosty and flench-worthy, but my body continues to stare back with a small and easy going smile on my face, **"Get out of Mai's body."**

" **Not until you do this right, little brother. Let's go."** My body takes a stance. Dropping down low. I'm positioned like an umpire.

Naru throws his hand as if he is throwing a baseball and I feel he warmth pass through me again. This time, I'm actually knocked down. My feet are thrown backwards and I hit the ground- hard. My head slams in to the padding previously placed in case this were to happen.

Naru is next to me before anyone else can even scream my name in shock. I try to stand and Naru grabs my arm, hoisting me up as Yasu and Madoka run over to check my head. I ignore them, looking over at the dark haired man, "Again." This time, it was spoken in Japanese, and it was my voice. Even though I was the one who spoke this time, I could feel Gene's agreement through whatever bond we had going on.

"Mai-"

" **N** o **w** N **a** r **u**! **"** This time, it was both Gene and my own voice mixed together. We'd spoken in Japanese and English simultaneously.

He looks angry that we cut him off but he takes his position again as Yasu and Madoka step off the mat. Everyone is still staring as me in silent wonderment. Mrs. Davis is balling her eyes out in to her husbands shirt while he keeps track of the power passing between us.

Liquid ice fills my veins as I prepare for another bolt of power. Naru throws his hand again, this time with even more strength. When it hits me, I lose consciousness.

My eyes open.

I'm in a room that is completely white. The walls, the floors, the ceiling. There is no door. Just a spacious, boxed in room with white everything. I don't see any light fixtures but the room is lit brilliantly. Upon further inspection, I realize I'm sitting in the very center of the room in a chair, with a bright red dress on. It is as red as stop sign. The dress stops at my knees. I don't have any shoes on.

Suddenly, Naru is in front of me. He's looking down at my with intense blue eyes; then he smiles and I realize this isn't Naru.

"Gene?" I ask in astonishment, standing up and looking at the older Davis twin. Despite what others may think, I haven't seen Eugene Davis since the day his body was found and I confessed to Naru. Once I quit the ghost hunting business, I just didn't see him anymore.

Gene smiles at me, "Hello, Mai. Welcome."

"Welcome to what?"

"It is called plenty of things by many different religions but I call it heaven." Gene chuckles to himself, "Believe it or not, everything is white like this."

"Heaven isn't anything besides a white room?"

Gene laughs loudly this time, "No, Mai. We're on the outskirts of heaven, so to speak, you still have a very long life ahead of you. You don't belong to heaven yet."

"Yet?" I smirk, "But I'll definitely make it here eventually?"

Gene rolls his eyes good-naturedly, "You haven't seen my brother in seven years and yet you still somehow picked up on his talent to nit pick conversations." My giggle makes him smile, "I don't know, Mai. I can't tell you how your future will play out. I know bits and pieces, things that will happen no matter how many decisions you make, but I can tell you one thing, the biggest decision you will ever make is loving my brother or not."

I shake my head, "Loving Naru isn't a choice. He makes that choice for you with his 'I-don't-care-but-I-really-do-but-I'm-not-going-to-tell- _you_ -that' attitude." I roll my eyes.

Gene laughs, "You are correct. Let me show you something."

I blink and there is suddenly a TV in front of us. It is one of those box TV's on the rolling carts that my elementary school used to have. It clicks on and I see Naru… _kissing me?!_

Then he pulls away and begins compression on my chest. The sound of the TV suddenly clicks on and I hear yelling. Yasu and Madoka screaming my name, Lin and Professor Davis talking over each other. Mrs. Davis just freaking out. Naru ignores them all as he tries to start my heart again. He's frustrated. I can tell by how wild his eyes look. Suddenly, he leans over to my ear and what he says is so loud that I feel as if I was there.

"You idiot. How am I ever supposed to fall in love with you if you die before you give me the chance?"

The TV clicks off and Gene turns to me, "So?"

I stare, wide eyed at the scream before turning to him, "So what?"

Gene smiles, "Mai, you are the only person that could possibly ever understand my brother. He knows that. Why do you think he said what he did? You know what it is like to have powers that you don't understand. You know what it is like to lose everything and everyone that you care about and to live with nothing. You know what it is like to have the only person in the entire world who could every understand you murdered in front you very eyes."

Images swarm my mind. The blood. The knife. My dress. That man.

Gene's hand on my shoulder brings me back from my childhood. He smiles sympathetically at me, but his voice is strong, "So?"

I stare in to his eyes, "Naru or myself?"

Gene nods.

I think about it. I try to come up with a reason to stay by him. I try to come up with a good explanation as to why I should choose him, but I can't. He's mean, selfish, too good looking for his own good and conceited about it. He's smart, ridiculously so, and that makes him treat everyone as an inferior. I can spout lies all day about how he's jumped in to wells to save me and all of that but the truth is, he wouldn't do that for anyone else. He only did that for me because… well because…

 _He cares for me._

I look up at Gene, "I choose Naru."

Gene smiles, "I knew you would." He leans forward, his nose touching mine, "Take care of my baby brother, sweet lady." His lips touch mine and I'm sucked in to oblivion.

I snap back in to my body with a gasp. Naru's mouth is on mine when I do and he yanks away when my eyes pop open. He watches me for a moment and the room grows quiet. In Japanese, I whisper, "I saw Gene." His eyebrows shoot up. I smile gently at him, "He told me how to fix you." My hand raises and touches his face. The freezing of my hands touching his overly warm face feels wonderful and he must agree because his eyes close in bliss as his skin finally begins to cool down after being so hot for so long. My hand wraps around his neck and when he isn't expecting it, I yank him down to my lips. He grunt and the group that had huddled around us when I woke up gasps, but Naru's wide eyes close when he realizes what I'm doing. The power that I gained from Gene pulls on Naru's power, attempting to pull it from him. Naru's eyes close and he begins to relinquish the all powerful PK that he'd been bottling up inside in an attempt to save everyone. The amount of it is overwhelming, but I allow my body to accept it. Eventually, Naru pulls away, his blue eyes clear.

 _She's selfless to a fault. Idiot._

I raise an eyebrow at him, "Watch who you call an idiot, idiot."

His eyebrows raise and his face portrays open shock, then he squints at me and I feel mirth glide through the open bond between us. He watches me for a second, "We're going to have to work on keeping out of each others mind, Mai."

I smile at him, "Not on your life, Naru."


	4. Chapter Four

When Mai hit the ground, I think I was the first one to her because I used my PK to propel myself to her. It is normally incredibly dangerous because my PK can shoot me anywhere. I check her pulse and it is faint at first before just completely stopping. I immediately begin CPR. Everyone is yelling, loudly.

What an _idiot._

All this nonsense she spouted about being in love with me when she's supposed to be in love with my brother. I was angry for _months_ after she confessed. Why was I so angry? And why am I so angry now knowing that she's leaving me too?

 _I care for her._

My emotions get the best of me and I lean down to her, "You idiot. How am I ever supposed to fall in love with you if you die before you give me the chance?"

Her eyes pop open with a gasp. I'm breathing for her when they do and I jerk away. The group of people in the room finally shut up as I watch her, checking for signs of fainting or otherwise.

Her lips move. At first I don't register what she says, then my eyebrows shoot up.

"I saw Gene." She smiles gently at _me,_ not the memory of my brother. "He told me how to fix you." Her hand raises and it touches my face. It is freezing and it's positively _bliss._ My eyes close. Her hand travels the length of my cheek and reaches around to my nape. Suddenly she jerks down to pull my mouth to hers. The grunt that leaves me is corresponding with the gasp of surprise that comes from the group around us. I feel a familiar pull on the power in me and my eyes close on their own. I breathe in and let it out slowly and I feel the connection between us open as my power slides through to her.

The relief I feel is monumental. I have faint worries of it being too much for her but her freezing skin warms against my rapidly cooling skin. Eventually I do pull away and my mind feels clear.

 _She's selfless to a fault. Idiot._

A thick eyebrow raises to me, "Watch who you call an idiot, idiot."

I'm sure I looked shocked in that moment and then I'm amused, "We're going to have to work on keeping out of each others mind, Mai."

She smiles at me, the sight a relief after giving her CPR for so long, "Not on your life, Naru."

" **Oliver?"** My mother calls me as I help Mai up off the ground, **"What is going on, dear?"**

I move a portion of her bangs out of her face before turning to my mother, **"Mai has become my better half, for lack of better words."** I search threw Mai's recent memories and relive the entire session she had with my brother. Pausing for a moment when I realize certain areas are patchy. Certain things are hidden from me. I don't dwell for long. I look back up at my mother, **"She met with Gene and agreed to be the receiver to my output."**

My father raises an eyebrow, **"Why don't you just start from the beginning, Mai?"**

" **Wait,"** Madoka says to a tomato faced Mai, **"Gene kissed you?"**

" **He didn't kiss me!"** Mai says loudly, waving her arms around.

" **That is what you said though!"** Yasuhara laughs while Mai continues to freak out.

We are all currently sitting in one of the meeting rooms. It is a big room with a huge flat table placed in the very center. There is an enormous window facing the door on the other side of the room and on the left side of the room, there is a dry erase board to use for point in meetings, and also an area where one can set their laptop up for a PowerPoint. On the other side of the room, there is refrigerator, microwave and a coffee machine. There is also a sink and some cabinets for the placing of coffee cups and other utensils.

My father sits at the head of table, while Mai and I sit at the end, near the window. I'm directly opposite my father while Mai is next to me. My father is watching me with imploring dark eyes. He is studying me to make sure what I say is true. I know that in ten minutes, I look three years better. I have always been pale but my eyes no longer have the sleepless, sunken in look to them. My body doesn't feel like it is burning from the inside out any more. I am not completely exhausted either.

That doesn't make me feel any less mortified though.

Mai kissed me, for Gods sake.

' _Why are you still thinking about it?'_ Gene's voice bounces around in my head, reminding me that he is the reason we're in this mess, _'Did you like it that much?'_

Momentarily I am alarmed. Can Mai hear us?

' _I blocked her telepathy with you momentarily, little brother. I get first dips on your mind.'_

I roll my eyes at his wording, _'As I recall from Yasuhara's story, you also kissed her.'_

' _It is not like she responded. I don't know where you get the outrageous idea that she loves me from. She couldn't be farther from loving me if she tried.'_

' _Only because she is attempting to substitute me with you.'_

' _Oh, don't be an idiot! Mai loves you. She always has. She is just so angry with you right now that it is hard for you to see that.'_

' _And what about when we were in Japan? Was she angry with me then?'_

' _No. You were angry, little brother. Angry at everything. From the world, to me, to yourself. Back then you didn't know how to deal with you anger any other way besides self loathing and Mai's love for you didn't play well in to that, so you pawned her love off on me. Now you don't know how to deal with her angry and you're doing the same thing. Mai does not love me.'_

To my rational mind, everything he is saying makes sense. However, if everything he is saying is true, then that would mean that I would have turned down and broke the heart of the first woman close enough to me for me to believe when they say that they love me; and I'm not ready to accept that reality yet.

" **Uh, Naru?!"** A voice call. Mai is glaring at me when I look up, **"Could you at least help me?!"**

I open my mouth to respond, yet a yawn escapes instead of words. Mai's eyes and tone immediately soften and she smiles gently, **"Maybe we should talk about this tomorrow. You're still recovering."**

Everyone else at the table agrees in moments and everyone disperses.

' _I don't think she is going to give you the choice to decide whether you are ready or not.'_ Gene says, his voice quiet but amused.

I can't help but agree with him.

I've never seen my mother like this.

" **Oh, Oliver!"** She wails like a child, tears stream down her face as she clings to me. If it were anyone else, I'd have pushed them away, but this is my mother. If I attempted to push her away, she would just sob harder and that would make this situation even more annoying than it already is.

" **Luella, please,"** My father says, trying to calm her down.

" **Explain it to me, Martin."** Lin says from the table, typing all of this in to his laptop.

" **Mai now has Gene's ability to absorb Oliver's power and take it in to herself."** My father states clearly, examining the numbers from the experiment, **"Once she absorbs it her body automatically begins to disperse the excess energy back in to the world around us."**

" **And how does she attain the power from Oliver?"**

I cringe inwardly, already anticipating my mothers reactoin.

" **Miss Mai literally sucks it out of him..."** My father's grin is downright evil, **"Out of his mouth. Through contact."**

Lin's typing stops and my mother jerks away to look at my face. She puts her hand over her mouth, **"Oliver… are you… blushing?"**

" **He is."** My father says, his grin widening, **"It's not like you can blame him. Mai is quite the beautiful young lady and she is smart too."**

My mother shoots him a look, **"What do you mean, dear?"**

He laughs deeply, **"I'm saying that for being untrained, that girl is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to parapsychology equipment."**

" **Yasuhara has done extensive research on all things concerning the paranormal. He has taught her everything he knows."** I tell them, ignoring the fact that they are all talking about me as if I am not here.

" **Yasuhara? Her friend?"** My mother questons, finally having let go of me as her tears dry.

" **Her boyfriend."** I correct.

Lin raises an eyebrow and I shoot him a look. He doesn't believe that they are dating, but what other reason can a man and a woman be so close for?

I've never been the type of man to really care about the need for a woman's companionship. However, since my idiot brother decided that it was a good idea to give Mai the power to literally suck the life out of me, now I really do need a woman.

"Naru?" Mai says my name with shock coating her voice. I don't blame her. It is three o'clock in the morning and I'm knocking on her hotel door.

I step in to the light of the moon so that she will see my eyes bright with fever and my skin damp with sweat, "I need-"

Before I can ask her, her lips are on mine. The fire through out my body leaves me immediately and the ice settles in to my core. It is a feeling that honestly makes me grateful. The constant heat of my PK is like the heat sticking on me, still and musty with no way to get rid of it.

Mai pulls away with red cheeks and an exhale of hot air. She smiles softly at me, "You don't ever have to ask for my help, Naru."

I look down at her, wondering how my brother can possibly believe that a girl as kind and innocent as Mai could ever love a man like me. Nonetheless, in this moment, I'm overwhelmed with the urge to pay her back somehow.

"I'm hungry." I murmur, attempting to relay the message with out having to actually say it. It occurs to me that I've never asked a woman to breakfast, or any meal, before.

Mai grins, immediately catching on, "There is a twenty-four hour cafe downstairs. They deliver their tea in bags. I could make it for you?"

With out saying anything, I turn and begin to lead the way. I hear her sigh softly, before turning around and locking the door. She is next to me in the next moment and we move down the hallway together.

I can't help but look down at her. The moonlight reflects off of her brown hair, making it seem ten times darker. It oddly goes with her olive skin and bright eyes. Her lashes make a shadow on her face; they are too long for them not to. Even with simple shorts and t-shirt, Mai is still one of the smallest girls I've seen.

' _You totally think she is just as cute as the rest of us do.'_

I suppose by 'the rest of us', Gene means himself and everyone else around Mai on a daily bases.

' _Go away.'_ I tell him dismissively. He's beginning to become unbearable.

I don't need him to tell me how adorable Mai is.


End file.
